Let me say that this track is much harder than I thought it was going to be. The elevation changes are crazy(way more than you think) and the apex's of most of the corners are blind. Track knowledge definitely would make you tons faster here. Braking points are fairly obvious, but the turn-ins where hard to pick up. By the fourth session I was feeling a little more comfortable, but my SD card ran out of room so I only have video from the morning sessions. I definitely turned in to soon a bunch and coasted way too much, but it was a fun first time out.

On the up side the new Brembo's are freakin fantastic on the track. Absolutely zero fade and I ended up braking way to soon most of the day which made me coast into a lot of turns thus making me much slower, but once I get use to all that stopping power I should be much much quicker.

I had an idea that I was gonna go beat Randy Pobst's time of 1:46.6 in a stock 135. Turns out I'm no Randy Pobst. My best time was 1:49.51. I'll be back in May and hopefully I'll get there.

I tried that earlier and it didn't work for me. Yet another example of tech expertise haha.

Gotta get out here some day. The track was way more challenging than I thought, but in a good way. Definitely worth it to find a way to drive someone else's car at the very least.

Will probably rent a hertz corvette or camaro and do it that way. But for sure I need to get out there soon. All the videos you guys post are making me envious of that track, I just want to experience it.

to think I am shivering my ass while some of you are out on the track already makes me very jealous. this track is definitely on my bucket list too. would love to load my car on a truck and have it hauled to cali for a west coast tour. now if I can only find some sponsors...lol

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"I would quote everything pixelblue said, but you've already read it. Take it from someone who's put the 1 through its paces"

Very nice glad you enjoyed it! This course too is on my bucket list. Yandy and I may have to make a combo trip together out there sometime haha.

PS a small tip from watching those vids for next time...you can open the wheel a bit sooner. You're leaving a lot of unused track out there. Keep it up!

This sounds like a plan to me!

Quote:

Originally Posted by pixelblue

to think I am shivering my ass while some of you are out on the track already makes me very jealous. this track is definitely on my bucket list too. would love to load my car on a truck and have it hauled to cali for a west coast tour. now if I can only find some sponsors...lol

to think I am shivering my ass while some of you are out on the track already makes me very jealous. this track is definitely on my bucket list too. would love to load my car on a truck and have it hauled to cali for a west coast tour. now if I can only find some sponsors...lol

Yeah, it was a chilly 75 most of the day. Terrible conditions for a track day. I barely made it through it.

I think the sponsor you need is the Mega lottery. I've been trying to convince my wife to do the same thing except on the east coast, but so far I haven't had much success.

As far as the rental goes I say do it. I did it with a new 5.0 from Hertz a few months ago and it was fun even if I did toast the brakes by the end of the day.

Very nice glad you enjoyed it! This course too is on my bucket list. Yandy and I may have to make a combo trip together out there sometime haha.

PS a small tip from watching those vids for next time...you can open the wheel a bit sooner. You're leaving a lot of unused track out there. Keep it up!

Yeah definitely left a lot on the track. Next time I'm gonna try to find someone in the open group to let me ride along since the turns are deceptively blind. I was guessing on most of the turns and that is not a fast way to get around.

Yeah it was good meeting you too. I'm thinking about going back Memorial Day weekend. NCRC has both Saturday and Sunday open. This way I can take the wife and she can shop while I race. Win win. Just thought I'd let you know since they are the least expensive for that track and it'll probably sell out.

If I get a chance I'd like to do Big Willow this year, but I have to see who has available dates for weekends since it's to far for me to do in a day.

Let me know if you decide to do it and I can bring my other Apex's and you can try them out.

Let me say that this track is much harder than I thought it was going to be. The elevation changes are crazy(way more than you think) and the apex's of most of the corners are blind. Track knowledge definitely would make you tons faster here. Braking points are fairly obvious, but the turn-ins where hard to pick up. By the fourth session I was feeling a little more comfortable, but my SD card ran out of room so I only have video from the morning sessions. I definitely turned in to soon a bunch and coasted way too much, but it was a fun first time out.

On the up side the new Brembo's are freakin fantastic on the track. Absolutely zero fade and I ended up braking way to soon most of the day which made me coast into a lot of turns thus making me much slower, but once I get use to all that stopping power I should be much much quicker.

I had an idea that I was gonna go beat Randy Pobst's time of 1:46.6 in a stock 135. Turns out I'm no Randy Pobst. My best time was 1:49.51. I'll be back in May and hopefully I'll get there.

Nice driving! i hope one day i get to take a lap around there myself. But whats you're exhaust combo? it sounds absolutely perfect

That's the BMW performance exhaust with everything else stock. I'd like to get downpipes and remove the cats, but I'll wait until after I run out of warranty. It still sounds pretty good to me, but other folks like it a little louder.

I thought it was 106.6, but either way I'm still a ways away from his time. I do honestly think that I can get there with my mods, but if he were driving my car he'd probably do it under 1:40.

I think you may be referring to the other thread with the 135i vs the nismo 370z, which btw, did it in 106.5 vs the 135i in 106 flat.

Either way, that man is a professional race car driver with many hours behind the seat at that track. He knows it in and out and for yourself being on that track for the first time your time is not bad at all. many people play it safe on their first track days and run much slower times... good job.

Yeah it was good meeting you too. I'm thinking about going back Memorial Day weekend. NCRC has both Saturday and Sunday open. This way I can take the wife and she can shop while I race. Win win. Just thought I'd let you know since they are the least expensive for that track and it'll probably sell out.

If I get a chance I'd like to do Big Willow this year, but I have to see who has available dates for weekends since it's to far for me to do in a day.

Let me know if you decide to do it and I can bring my other Apex's and you can try them out.

Cheers

I'm totally down man; I'd love to try the wheels, thank you! What tires are on them?

I'm totally down man; I'd love to try the wheels, thank you! What tires are on them?

I'm running Big Willow this Sunday, super stoked!

Right now they have Hankook R-S3's 255/35/18 and 275/35/18, but they rub to much both front and back so I'm gonna put my PSS's back on them. They still have about 50% tread life so they are good, just not as sticky as the RE-11's or R-S3's.

You didn't get any instructor with you? MLS have some very fine nuances that you need to watch out for.

No NCRC doesn't really have instructors except for the beginner groups. Usually if I go to a new track with them I find an open group guy willing to take me out with him, but I didn't see anybody I knew in the open groups so I had to wing it. Definitely more challenging than I excepted, but in a good way.